Reunion
by I'm-Modal-Soul
Summary: Winter's tasked to save a town from falling apart. Having recently graduated Atlas Academy, she has no intentions to slack on the easiest of missions to impress General Ironwood. Imagine her surprise when she meets her former fox partner, Yoko Kurama, who left her suddenly after spending four years together. As they reunite, they will learn trouble's right around the corner!
1. Prologue

An armored truck traveled through the open forest alone after departing Argus, having two participants within. The low revving engine intruded Winter's mind as she resorted to observe the passing terrain from her seat while the driver focused on the road ahead. James Ironwood sent an order to his newest spec ops candidate and pending the results, will allow a promotion. All she managed to receive from the General about the task was an SOS request to Atlas to help them out. Grimm was becoming an issue, popping up in droves as of late. A huntsman was on the scene handling the Grimm but has gotten injured in the recent swarm and frets reinforcements are coming. The task felt trivial, akin to walking students to school in the morning and felt beneath her. However, she isn't in a position to choose her tasks and if Ironwood passed it onto her, it must mean it's important. Winter was met with glowing reviews on each mission and objectives given till now; this one won't be any different

The truck came to a stop and Winter finally had a clear mind to think with. She peered through the windshield to see the supposed town needing to be protected. It looked small to her and she didn't see any buildings growing past two floors. It looked peaceful, but Winter knew something was off. Nobody was walking in the streets and the lights were off. Thankfully the sun hasn't set so the lights weren't necessary. Opening the heavy truck door, Winter exited the vehicle, her saber in hand and her all white attire that's become iconic in her time at Atlas. The driver also exited but was not going anywhere. Rather, he was going to give one final farewell to maintain formalities.

"Do you have any requests before I head out Ms. Schnee?" He watched Winter shake her head to his questions,

"No, thank you. I believe I can handle this request on my own." The male driver folded his arms, smirking from her confidence.

"I always liked your resolve." He takes a glance at the town, not knowing why they'd assign her to something like this but his pay wasn't high enough to look underneath the surface "If you need any help, just give us a ring. I will return in three days, this should be enough to clear out the town and get everything back to normal." She turned to him, staring him down as if she questioned her abilities.

"Trust me, it'll only take two days under my care. I expect everything to be satisfactory when you returned with no calls required." The driver could only chuckle and nodded.

"If you say so Madam. I only wish you luck. Just don't get hurt alright?" He would head off in the armored truck, leaving her alone in the wild and an unknown problem for her to solve. Winter couldn't determine if the threat of grimm kept them holed up or was the arrival of an outsider that did it. Considering her tenure would be a short few days, she has no reason to get friendly with any the of the locals. Her first task would be to reach the manor of the small town as noted on the document for the mission. It didn't take long to find the manor in her walk as it stood out from the rest of the homes but it didn't make the walk pleasant. She can sense curious, fearful eyes watching from within the homes and rattled curtains when she turned her head to glance at them. Whatever it is, tehy were not doing well.

She walked up to the door of the manor and knocked on the wooden door as instructed. She was ready to knock again when there was no noise or reaction but the knob began to turn in front of her. The door would open to show an elderly man needing a cane to assist in his movements. He looked upward at the Schnee fighter and smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness, someone from Atlas actually came to help us! Please, come inside. " He gestured the woman to enter and she obliged as he closed the door behind him and headed to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you, I'm fine." The elder man then sat onto a chair in the living room while Winter stood prominently. She did hear water running in the background, assuming his significant other or relative was showering.

"I'm surprised Atlas would even send anyone to help out a town like us."

"Well, Atlas has received your request for help and they've sent me. Frankly, I'm surprised you know Ironwood at all." The elder man shook his head to her comments, as if she's missing the point.

"I only sent the request when the gentleman helping us had advised me to. He wrote the letter and then told me to stamp it to show the letter's legitimacy." This only brought questions to Winter, wondering who could know Ironwood like that. She then heard the sound of suggesting someone was taking a shower.

"Will you introduce me to this gentleman?"

"Why of course! This gentleman stopped by our village and has been handling the Grimm surrounding our town for the past few weeks. We are forever grateful for his help." As if on cue, this gentleman in question walked out to the company of Winter and the town holder, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing else. Hs fox ears rasied up in high alert as a familiar face stood in front of him and without warning. A small pause formed between them until the fox faunus spoke up, maintaining eye contact throughout.

"...Winter." She scrutinized the man before her and walked right up to him like she has in the past, standing equal height to him in her boots..

"Yoko Kurama, how nice to see you again." Her focus went from his face to his torso where a recently closed wound stretched from his rib cage to his stomach. She proceeded to meet his gaze with a shake of her head. "I thought Atlas Academy would whip you into a huntsman who can mow down Grimm. Is my former partner slipping?" The remark only brought a shy grin on his face.

"And Winter, always wanting to come to my rescue." He readjusts his position to draw distance between them and rest against the wall behind him. "It's been how long, two years?"

"Ah, I see you two are familiar?" The elderly man can see they were close to be chatting casually.

"Very" the two responded at the same time, glancing at one another as they caught themselves in unison. Even this brought, a small, little chuckle from the Schnee.

"You can tell me everything I need to know, but before you do"she began, letting her eyes wander down to his abdomen and point with her index finger."... Put some clothes on.I find it hard to take my former partner seriously when he's one article away from nudity." Yoko couldn't contain his enjoyment from her remark.

"I sometimes wonder if you secretly enjoy the view but still want to keep up appearance of a Schnee." His sentence brought a sharpened eyes towardshis direction and a firmer voice.

"That's an order from your leader!" Kurama stared into her eyes as she regressed to their time in Atlas ACademy and she soon caught herself afterwards. A content, and never judging Kurama proceeded to oblige her request, just this once. The two tried to play it off but they knew this was a trip down memory lane, unable to avoid their own little happiness of seeing one another again.

"Ï'll allow the mayor to brief you as I get dressed per your order Madam Schnee." Before he left, he turned once more to see his leader, smiling. Ï'm serious Winter. I'm glad to see you haven't changed one bit." With that, Yoko left her with the mayor to figure out what's the situation, and piece together why Kurama of all people is residing in this location.


	2. Reminisce

Winter and Kurama sat in the living room, with the faunus dressed head to toe in a white gi and white sweatpants. To say they couldn't be any different is an understatement. Drinking tea from a cup provided by the mayor, she placed it down on the table and took a deep breath to collect her thoughts.

"Start from the beginning. What exactly happened to you" Winter asked as Kurama sipped himself the same tea. He gingerly took his time to form words but didn't waste another second in responding. "Bandits are notorious in this area. I'm not a savior or a huntsman looking for hire. These citizens need help and no on else would answer in time. I offered my assistance but I didn't expect one of them to be quite skilled compared to the rest." He paused to watch her reaction, and she seemed to not believe him, thinking there's more underneath. He resumed shortly after. "You are aware as I that Grimm likes negative energy. While I managed to get them away, a few Grimm took their place. I wasn't in my best health since I had no interest in killing anyone, but they did. Right now, I need as much rest as possible. If I fight, I'm only going to make it worse for myself." She frowned when he finished and sighed to herself.

"That's always been you, getting yourself hurt so others don't. Even back then, you'd just get in the way. You ever take a moment to think of your own health? Or how others might feel if you get seriously injured?" What should be a honest, concerned talk sounded much more a stern punishment, but Kurama knew her too well, resulting in a soft smile.

"I know Winter, I always worried you, but you should know by now my ability to tolerate pain and finding openings through those avenues." Yet, Kurama wasn't done and needed to disclose something he felt lingered in Winter's mind.

"There's something else, the reason why you are here in this little village." Knowing he had keen senses, she obliged his inquiry.

"And what exactly is that?"

"Atlas rarely do things without having some gain from their actions."

"I can't say you are wrong, but for what gain they can have from a place like this is beyond me. I don't question Ironwood's orders, so I never asked why I got transferred here." A small silence hanged in the air, showing Kurama's disappointment but also understanding that not everyone can just try to question the higher ups to see the meaning behind their actions. Kurama stayed silent with a gentle smile for her connecting the dots.

"I expected Ironwood to decline, but knowing this village has caverns brimming with unrefined dust sounded like a decision he couldn't refuse. Not for him, but for your father." Sharp blue eys peirced his in retaliation, her distaste for the Schnee company and the owner burning underneath while Kurama's golden eyes didn't waver. "Getting the picture?"

"You never fail to find a way to get under my skin and get things to work to your advantage." After exhaling her tensions away, Winter figured to see if he'd obliged his reason for never joining. "It's a shame you didn't stick around after graduation."

"I don't think I can stomach living the life you do now. Doing what's best for the country and not for the unfortunate living in Mantle."

"You can't save everyone Kurama."

"I'll die trying. Even back then, I was a kid blessed to be in Atlas Academy from Mantle. I didn't belong with the others who were so "ahead" of me. If I have to earn a huntsman license by giving away my freedom, I rather just be labeled a bandit." His wolf ears twitch after his comments and reminisce of their previous conversation. "How's Weiss doing, since she never seemed to want to talk to me when I met her a few times?"

"She just enrolled into Beacon University in her first year. I can only wish for her success and to find her identity for herself, not her identity as a Schnee, just like I have."

"From the start you were not someone I can pen to be the daughter of a Schnee. The views you share couldn't be any different and I can't imagine how much you've grown since we last met after graduation."

"Likewise. You had red hair for the first year, just to not draw attention to the fact you were a faunus and always wore a hat. Just as I had to shed the perceptions of being an entitled brat thanks to my father, you had to shed the concept of Faunus' not being able to stand with the elite. Not a lot of students liked you afterwards, but when we had sparring matches, you took it an extra step than what's required. I enjoyed that trait about you, your tenacity to an objective. "

"Cold, calculating, but finding a moment to share your own warmth and kindness at the right moment. No one really gets to see past that exterior but if they stick around, they'd find something beautiful." The two shared a glance, letting the room grow quiet as they reminisce on their own experiences as a team and time spent together.

"Are you coming onto me?" Her question was straightforward and blunt, something he's not used to but this only resulted in the two bursting out in laughter at the absurdity of what she suggested. The hidden tension in the room from his departure bursted but never really left, choosing to tackle the subject another time. The entrance to the home they were in slammed open, causing them to focus on the mayor worrying from head to toe.

"They're back! The bandits are back!" Kurama stood up quickly and groaned as he clutched his sides, reeling back into his chair as he forgot about his health.

"You'll be sitting this one." She said to him, grasping her rapier at the hilt. Kurama was in no shape to say otherwise so he only nodded..

"Be careful, I doubt they'd come again without some reinforcements or someone more dangerous than who I've faced."

"Understood." She paced herself out of the room, wanting to see the group of bandits causing trouble and give some well deserved payback for Kurama. As Winter left the room and leaving Kurama and the mayor alone, Kurama sighed to himself. He looked out the open window, watching a leaf float over to him. He let his palm rest out and watch the leaf fall in his hand, bringing a smirk to his lips.

"Seems my suspicions were right then."


End file.
